KapStone's Longview Mill Upgrades Its Sustainable Forestry Certifications To Now Include SFI and PEFC Chain-of-Custody

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Aug. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE: KS) announces that its mill in Longview, WA, has now been certified according to both the SFI and PEFC chain-of-custody standards, the highest levels of sustainable forestry certifications available. Previously the Longview mill had been certified to the SFI fiber sourcing standard.

KapStone's three other paper mills, five chip mills, and one sawmill are also certified to these same globally-recognized, chain-of-custody standards. 

According to the company's president, Randy Nebel, KapStone has a demonstrated track record of performance in the area of environmental protection. "These certifications give the company one more way to measure and demonstrate that performance. It shows we are contributing to the protection of water quality, conservation of wildlife habitat, biodiversity, and much more," Nebel says. 

Governments and buyers of forest products around the world recognize both the SFI and PEFC chain-of-custody certifications as important indicators of a company's efforts to ensure sustainable forestry practices. According to Nebel, this is why KapStone wanted all of its operating units to be certified to the same rigorous standards.

"We want to give all of our customers, no matter where they may be doing business in the world, the assurance that any paper, packaging, or forestry products they receive from KapStone derive from well-managed forests," Nebel said.

Chain-of-custody certification is a more rigorous form of certification than "sourcing" standards. The fiber sourcing standard requires that program participants prove that the raw material in their supply chain comes from legal and responsible sources. Chain-of-custody takes things a step further in that it requires the tracking and documentation of fiber content from certified forests, through production and manufacturing processes, to the end product shipped to customers.

About SFI

SFI Inc. is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing, and improving the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) program (www.sfiprogram.org). More than 250 million acres/100 million hectares are certified to the SFI forest management standard across North America, making it the largest single forest standard in the world.

About PEFC

The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) through independent third-party certification. With over 30 endorsed national certification systems and more than 240 million hectares of certified forests, PEFC is the world's largest forest certification system. It acts as an umbrella organization by endorsing national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes tailored to local priorities and conditions.

About KapStone

Headquartered in Northbrook, IL, KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation is the fifth largest producer of containerboard and corrugated packaging products and is the largest Kraft paper producer in the United States. The Company is the parent company of KapStone Kraft Paper Corporation and KapStone Container Corporation, which includes four paper mills and 22 converting plants, respectively, across the US. The business employs approximately 4,600 people.

For additional company information visit www.kapstonepaper.com.

SOURCE KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation